Rs 1,164 cr budgetary fund for Bengaluru infra projects

Bengaluru, July 5 (IANS) An estimated amount of Rs 1,164 crore has been allocated for various Bengaluru infrastructure development projects, including revival of lakes and construction of flyovers, in Karnataka budget for fiscal 2018-19.

The projects include construction of interconnected elevated corridors in Bengaluru, lake rejuvenation, construction of a chemical waste treatment unit in the city’s industrial zone and setting up of electric vehicle charging units.

“Rs 1,000 crore will be earmarked for the fiscal 2018-19 to construct six interconnected elevated corridors over the next four years, in order to provide good transport network in Bengaluru,” Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy said while presenting the budget.

The elevated corridor project is estimated to cost Rs 15,825 crore.

The state also plans to construct a 65-km peripheral ring road in the outskirts of Bengaluru which is expected to cost Rs 11,950 crore. There was, however, no budgetary allocation for the project for this fiscal.

“The government has approved to take up this work through a special purpose vehicle, and revenue source mobilisation for the project is in progress,” added Kumaraswamy, who also holds the Finance portfolio.

An Integrated Road Transport Authority will be set up under the Chief Minister to create a hassle-free and affordable transport system in traffic-logged Bengaluru, by coordinating with the state-run metro rail, bus service operators and the civic body.

An amount of Rs 100 crore will be given as subsidy to the state-run public bus service operator Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corp to strengthen the transport system and overcome the vehicular congestion in the IT hub, Kumaraswamy said.

In a bid to promote the use of electric vehicles to ease Bengaluru’s air pollution, 100 charging units worth Rs 4 crore will be set up in the city.

The budget has set aside Rs 50 crore for the rejuvenation of the city’s largest lake Bellandur Lake, which has been frothing due to toxic substances flowing into it through a untreated sewage system from chemical factories and housing colonies around it.

The allocation for the lake rejuvenation remained the same in the vote-on-account budget for fiscal 2018-19 presented by former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on February 16.

“Lot of chemicals are found in Bengaluru’s sewage water which pollute the rivers. Rs 10 crore will be provided to construct a chemical waste treatment unit in Peenya Industrial Zone,” the Chief Minister added.

The budget by Siddaramaiah had announced a total of Rs 2,500 crore fund for the state capital’s infrastructure development projects.